[July 22, 2011] The Modesto Bee, Calif., Ron Agostini column Tweet TURLOCK, Jul 22, 2011 (The Modesto Bee - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- Meet the bulldogging Ferreria brothers. You couldn't miss them Thursday night at the Stanislaus County Fair. Here's Jonathon, 25, the old pro. Over there is Larry, 22, the quiet one with a big smile, the one with the bonebreaking handshake. And next to Jonathon stands Daniel, 19, the tall one. "Dad was a rancher. We all knew how to rope," Daniel said. "Jonathon got into rodeo, so we started doing it, and we all ended up here." That's the short story, of course, of how three brothers ended up competing in the same event at the California Cowboys Pro Rodeo Association Rodeo. The long story, of course, would break down in detail how this can happen on the CCPRA circuit for the so-called "weekend cowboys." The Ferreiras, raised in Oakdale, are the quintessential rodeo family. And did we tell you they love to bulldog? Incredibly, the steer wrestling brothers went head-to-head in front of about 3,000 at FoodMaxx Arena. Of the eight featured in the competition, three grew up under the same roof. Jonathon won the bragging rights this night. He jumped off his sprinting horse and turfed his steer in 5.7 seconds, a 10th faster than Daniel. They finished second and third, respectively, while Larry trailed at 8.1. The results didn't seem to matter afterward. The Ferreiras grinned and laughed, perhaps knowing their mere presence beats odds taller than a barnyard silo. Jonathon must be credited for this reality. The oldest of the trio, he took a liking to the competition and eventually reached the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association Tour, the sport's major league. "I went at it hard for three years," he said. "I think I finished in the top 30 once." Today, the family ranch is located in Fort Jones, near Yreka and California's northern border. No, ranch chores do not require tackling steers at full-speed. Someone once described steer wrestling as standing on the flatbed of your moving pickup, jumping off and taking down a mailbox. "We do branding and stuff at home," Larry said. "If we did this (steer wrestling), it wouldn't be pretty. The steers weigh more there." The Ferreiras capture the spirit of the CCPRA, where the cowboys like their rodeos closer to home and easier on the pocketbook. They come in all shapes, ages and ambition levels. From veterans who look like walking Marlboro commercials to fresh-faced youngsters -- such as bull rider Jordan Spears of Redding who turned an 8-second trip on Happy Hour into a win and a $551 check -- they relish the smaller but more personal side of the sport. The cowboys at Turlock paid a $75 fee to enter the fair rodeo. They compete for their own money plus an added $400 per event ($800 for team roping). No one is getting rich, but they're also not forking out the house mortgage. "You're essentially gambling on yourself," said Napa's Tyler Mitchell, 21, one of the CCPRA's top all-around hands. Mitchell hopes to someday try his luck full time on the PRCA tour. Such promotions are not uncommon. Seven years ago at this rodeo, a 17-year-old kid raised on a ranch outside Escalon talked about making it big. His name is Russell Cardoza, who placed fifth in the all-around world rankings last December at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, the sport's Super Bowl, in Las Vegas. As for the Ferreias, well, there are more on the way. "We have two younger brothers and a sister coming up," Jonathon said. And how, by the way, does Dad keep order? "Dad," Jonathon said, "carries a big stick." Bee staff writer Ron Agostini can be reached at [email protected] or (209) 578-2302. CCPRA Stanislaus County Fair At FoodMaxx Arena Breakaway -- 1. Rikki Perezchita, Turlock, 2.6, $893. 2. Hailee Hundsdorfer, Visalia, 2.8, $669.75. 3. Tie, Nic Tsosie, Fortuna, and Taylor Bigalow, Clements, 2.9, $223.25 apiece. Bareback -- 1. Jordan Spears, Redding, 73, $323. 2. Cody Kiser, Carson City, 71, $242.25. 3. Zack Brown, Red Bluff, 62, $161.50. Tie-down Roping -- 1. J. Cody Jones, Ukiah, 8.7, $864.50. 2. Blake Hirdes, Turlock, 8.8, $648.38. 3. Roy Branco, Chowchilla, 9.8, $432.25. Steer Wrestling -- 1. Roy Branco, Chowchilla, 4.3, $688.75. 2. Jonathon Ferreira, Fort Jones, 5.6, $413.25. 3. Daniel Ferreira, Fort Jones, 5.7, $275.50. Saddle Bronc -- 1. Logan Naillon, Greenwood, 75, $437. 2. Michael Maher, Brentwood, 73, 4327.75. 3. Jeff Rianda, Hollister, 72, $218.50. 4. Ad Bugenig, Ferndale, Nev., 68, $109.25. Team Roping -- 1. David Ramont, Hughson, and Wyatt Williams, Cottonwood, 5.8, $1007 apiece. 2. Ryan Reed, Farmington, and Andy Holcomb, Aromas, 6.2, $755.25. 3. Cody Price, Waterford, and Brent Lockett, Ivanhoe, 6.6, $503.50. 4. Dusty Worsham, Turlock, and Duck Burgess, Hilmar, 6.8, $251.75. Barrel Racing -- 1. Nina Moore, Red Bluff, 15.96, $660.96. 2. Jamie Cook, Oroville, 16.05, $574.75. 3. Tie, Kaitlyn Wiggin, Williams, and Tracy Ash, Crows Landing, 16.28, $445.44 apiece. 5. Vonnie Nunes, Prather, 16.30, $316.11. Bull Riding -- 1. Jordan Spears, Redding, 83, $551. 2. Tie, Bo Bacigalupi, Oakdale, and Joe Chamberlain, 76, 4344.38 apiece. 4. Shawn Peterson, Oakdale, 63, $137.75. To see more of The Modesto Bee, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.modbee.com/. Copyright (c) 2011, The Modesto Bee, Calif. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For more information about the content services offered by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services (MCT), visit www.mctinfoservices.com. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]